Disappointing G7 Statement on Nuclear Disarmament Means We Must Double Our Efforts

ICAN Poster advertising their G7 Youth Summit Global Day of Action against nuclear weapons.

by Cherrill Spencer and Ellen Thomas
Co-chairs, DISARM/End Wars Issue Committee

June 2023

The anti-nuclear weapons international community took many actions to influence the political leaders who held their G7 meeting in Hiroshima May 19-21, 2023, and the Japanese Prime Minister, who was the host, had made it one of his goals for the G7 meeting participants to consider their next steps on nuclear disarmament. And the outcome?: The G7 statement, posted here, was most disappointing. 

It mentions the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) but omits taking action on its Article VI which obliges states to enter into serious negotiations leading to global nuclear disarmament. The last paragraph “…welcomes other initiatives that support the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in addition to the engagement of civil society in disarmament and non-proliferation processes.” But there is no mention of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), or their G7 youth summit held in Hiroshima, or the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) which was largely driven by women’s participation. No mention of the hibakusha the G7 leaders met in Hiroshima. A very shortsighted vision we say; it is just a restatement of the status quo.

All the more reason for WILPF members to work harder on getting more co-sponsors for H.R.2775 which states “To direct the United States to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and convert nuclear weapons industry resources and personnel to purposes relating to addressing the climate crisis, and for other purposes.” We are a member of the coalition called “Localities and Legislators” (L&L) which focuses on legislation about nuclear weapons, and we welcome WILPF members to join us on its planning committee. Write to disarmchair@wilpfus.org if you would like to join L&L or any of the several ongoing DISARM campaigns.